Agenda and minutes

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 8 February, 2023 were agreed and signed as a true record.

There were no matters arising.

Briefing Note of the Director of Business, Investment and Culture

The Committee considered a Briefing Note, together with a comprehensive presentation at the meeting, which detailed the City Council’s Draft Climate Change Strategy 2023-30 (a copy of which was appended to the Briefing Note), together with an outline of the consultation and engagement process.

The Strategy sets out a vision for the City Council to work in partnership with others, addressing sustainability and climate change issues from 2023 until 2030 for the City Council as a whole. In total, there are 147 areas of activity which have been identified, each comprising of one or more activities or projects.

Addressing sustainability & climate change is one of the key objectives of the One Coventry Plan and follows a series of public engagement events for that Plan where public support was expressed for addressing sustainability and climate change issues.

As a founding signatory to the ‘Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy,’ the Strategy will help the City to work towards the delivery of the target of 65% reduction in Greenhouse gas emissions (to 1990 levels) by 2030 with the Government’s 100 % target for achieving Net Zero by 2050 (at 1990 levels) as laid down in the ‘Climate Change Act’ (2008)

It is proposed to carry out a public engagement exercise on the draft Climate Change Strategy with a series of face to face and virtual meetings and events aimed at the public and stakeholder groups from February to April, with a view to bringing a report before Cabinet to adopt a final version before the end of July 2023.

The draft Strategy has adopted the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (I.C.L.E.I) five pathways framework for addressing sustainability & climate change:-

•  Low emissions – reducing carbon emissions

•  Circular economy – reducing waste and responding to opportunities for growth 

•  Nature based – enhancing biodiversity

•  Adaptation & resilience – minimizing the risks and impacts of climate change

•  Equitable person centred – addressing health inequalities & quality of life issues

This approach has also been adopted by the City’s Independent Climate Change Board which has set up Pathway Groups for each of the above.  The Board have assigned overall responsibility for addressing behaviour change to its Equitable Person Centred Pathway Group, where there is the closest connectivity to the communities we serve.

The Strategy will be fundamentally important to the City Council in its leadership role. Raising the knowledge and awareness of potential partner organisations and inspiring them to develop collaborative ventures with the City Council will be vital in addressing the issues to hand and in working with the City Council in changing public attitudes and behaviours towards activities and lifestyles that are respectful of the environment and reducing the impacts of climate change.

A significant portion of the Strategy has a direct impact upon addressing inequalities across the City and targets actions specifically to disadvantaged groups including training, skills, addressing health inequalities, food and fuel poverty, accessibility issues etc. The officers planning the engagement process are also placing a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

Report of the Chief Legal Officer

The Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee considered their Work Programme for 2022/23.

RESOLVED that an item on City College be added to the Work Programme for the 2023/24 Municipal Year.

Any other items of public business which the Chair decides to take as a matter of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

There were no other items of urgent public business.